High chair



Dec. 4, 1934. A. L EHMAN 3,983.9138

'- HIGH CHAIRI Filed Feb. a, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 J9 g1 gg 25 25A 20 3 J5,

@66.4, M934. v A, LEHM-AN 1,983,138

HIGH CHAIR Filed Feb. 8, 1933 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES Y 1,983,138 HIGH cnam.

EdgarA. Lehman, Cannelton, Ind., assignor to The Lehman Company ot America, Cannelton, Ind., a corporationof Indiana Application February 8, 1933, Serial No. 655,716

2 Claims. y (Cl. 155-127) The present invention relates to chairs and more particularly to childrens high chairs and has for its object the provision of an adjustable `tray for supporting the childs food, playthings,

5 and the like, which may be positioned to accommodate children of various ages or the same child as he grows.

Another object of the invention is the provision of adjusting means which is secure and positive in operation and which, at the same time,

is exceedingly simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

A still furthei 'object of the invention is the provision of sucha high chair tray and associated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying ,drawings and de# scribed in this specification.

Heretofore high chairs have been generally constructed with a tray member mounted on the ends of arms, the latter pivotally connected to the back of the chair in such fashion that the tray member may be swung arcuately to place it in positions such that the child may be put into o'r taken out of the chair.V A The disadvantages of this `type of structure are obvious in that the tray is a fixed distance from the back of the chair and cannot be adjusted to suit the size of the yoccupant ofA the chair, thus permitting the child to slide out from 40 under it when he is small; the tray cannot be removed for cleansing; it 'is often difficult to place-the child in the chair and remove him from the chair for in swinging the tray when placing the childin the chair or removing him from the chair the child is apt to be struck by the edge of was too complicated or else yin the event of the loosening of the side arms of the chair due to drying out of the glue in the joints the mechanism became insecure and in some instances the mounting for the tray structure was such that it was possible for the child to slip it out of position.

These disadvantages of the prior art high chairs have been overcome by the present invention and in addition, as pointed out above, chairs constructed in accordance with the present invention have many advantages over the prior art. Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a high chair, the leg portions of the chair being broken oi;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is asectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking down on the mechanism;

Figl 5 is a detailed view looking down on the mechanism for connecting the tray to the arms of the chair with portions broken away;

t Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of a modiiied strucure;

Fig. 7 is an end view .of a modified structure f necting the modified structure shown in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, for connecting the tray to the arms of the chair.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, it will be observed that the chair includes a seat member 11, back member 12, a pair of arms 13 which are connected to the back member and are supported from the seat member by means of the spindles 14.` 'I'he arms 13 are in parallel relationship and are provided on their outside faces with slots 15. Seated in the slots 15 are substantially U-shaped members 16, one leg of which fits into the slot and the bottom and other leg passing around the upper outer edges of the arms. The upper leg is secured to the bottom of the tray member 17 by means of a plurality of screws 18.

The tray may be of any standard shape but it is desirable to have it extend a short distance outside of the arms so as to completely cover the member 16. The inside edge `of the tray is also preferably arcuate in shape so as to conform generally. to the shape of a child.

'I'he slots 15 extending along the outer faces of the arms 13 it is obvious that the tray may be slid toward and away from the back ot the chair and also, since the slots extend to the forward edge of the arms, the tray may be completely removed from the chair and readily replaced.

Means is provided for fixing the tray in one position in relation to the arms and back in the form of the clamping arrangement, shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

The clamping mechanism comprises camshaped members 19 which may be constructed of rubber or other gripping material, although preferably one which has some resiliency, which are mounted in metal clamps 20, the latter being pivoted at one end by means of rivets or similar pivotal members 21 to the housing member 22. The other ends of the clamping members 20 are secured to rods 23 which extend through the housing member 22 to the spring member 24. The inner ends of the rods 23 are bent at right angles to provide handle members 25. Obviously, when the handle members 25 are pressed together, as shown in Fig. 5, the spring 24 istcontracted and the rods 23 are drawn inwardly, thus moving the cam members 19 in an arcuate direction about the pivots 21 and toward the center of the tray, thereby releasing them from engagement with the inside edges of the arm members 13. The converse 0peration of engaging the cam-shaped gripping members with the inside edges of the arms is obvious.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive. By reference to these iigures it will be seen that the tray structure is supported entirely from the inside edges of the arms but that due to the arrangement of the mechanism as disclosed in these figures the arms are prohibited from pulling apart from the tray and its associated locking mechanism to such an extent that it will not function properly. In these figures like parts have been indicated by the same reference numerals used in Figs. 1 to 5.

As shown in detail in Fig. 8 the inside faces of the arms are provided with slots 26 that extend lengthwise of the arms. Facing or locking strips 27 are secured to the arms and extend over a portion of said slots. Interlocking members 28, shown in detail in Fig. 9, are secured to the bottom of the tray and its associated housing 22 in such relation thereto that the cam-shaped gripping members 19 pass through openings or slots 29 in the interlocking members 28 to engage the arm members 13. The lower portion of the members 28 is L-shaped so that it may be mounted within the slots 26 in locking engagement with the facing strips 2'7. It will be apparent from the foregoing description thatv even should the arms loosen up the tray is so connected thereto that the arms are held by the tray from spreading apart to the extent that the cam-shaped locking members will not engage the arms and securely hold the tray in position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and the drawings that when the tray is placed upon the arm members and the cam-shaped gripping members engage with the inside faces of the arms that the tray cannot be moved outwardly from the back of the chair because the more pressure that is exerted on the inside edge of the tray the harder the cam-shaped members will grip the arms.4 Thus, once the tray placed in position it is impossible for the child to push it outwardly and thus give him su'icient room to slide underneath it or to climb out of' the chair. It is also obvious that the tray may be adjusted to any desired position in relation to the back and, consequently it is adaptable for use with any size child.

Furthermore, in view of the fact that the arms are supported and prohibited from spreading by the tray and itsassociated mechanism there is assurance that even should the arms become loosened the tray will still retain its fixed position and the child will be securely held in the chair.

I claim:

1. In an infants chair of the type having a seat portion and a back portion; two arm members extending forwardly from said back portion and above said seat portion in substantially parallel relation, a tray of greater width than the distance between said arm members extending across the latter, cam acting gripper mechanisms having one end pivotally mounted to said tray adjacent said arm members, the length of each of said gripper mechanisms being greater than the distance between its pivot' and the adjacent arm member, whereby said grippers tend t`o spread said arm members apart when pressed outwardly, spring actuated means connected to the opposite end of said gripper mechanisms for biasing said gripper mechanisms outwardly so as` to increase the grip of said gripper mechanisms on said arms and to cause said arms to tend toward spreading apart when an eiort is made to move said tray forwardly to withdraw it from engagement with said 'arms without operation of said spring actuated means, and additional means on said tray for engaging said arm members and holding the same against spreading apart.

2. In an infants chair of the type having a seat portion and a back portion; two arm members extending forwardly from said back portion and above said seat portion in substantially parallel relation, a tray of greater width than the distance between said arm members extending across the latter, a housing member on the under side of the tray extending inwardly from adjacent said arms, cam acting gripper mechanisms having one end pivotally mounted inthe housing adjacent said arm members, the length of each of said gripper mechanisms being greater than the distance between its pivot and the adjacent arm members, whereby said grippers tend to spread said arm members apart when pressed outwardly, rods connected to the opposite end of said gripper mechanisms and extending inwardly, handle portions on the inner ends of said rods extending out of said housing, an expansion spring having opposed portions engaging said rods to bias the gripper mechanisms toward outward movement so as to increase the grip of said gripper mechanisms on said arms to cause'said arms to tend toward spreading apart when an effort is made to move said tray forwardly to withdraw it from engagement with said arms without operation of said rods, and additional means on said tray for engaging said arm members and holding the same against spreading apart.

EDGAR A. LEHMAN. 

